Let’s make a pact right now, no talk of the Rugby World Cup until Wallaby coach Michael Cheika names his squad.
The only Test that matters in the interim is the next Test – in this case England at Twickenham.
And by then Cheika will shake up his squad, because he has to.
The Wallabies lost 26-23 to Ireland because the men in green made their first tackles count. If you added up all the first tackles missed by the Wallabies, it would be close to the length of the field. That’s gifting territory that’s impossible to regain.
I’m beginning to wonder if the majority of this Wallaby squad have the rugby nous to play Cheika’s up-tempo game.
Can it be better against England next week? You bet it can.
Hooker James Hanson for Saia Fainga’a, blindside flanker Matt Hodgson for Luke Jones, half Will Genia for Nick Phipps, fly-half Quade Cooper for Bernard Foley, inside-centre Kurtley Beale for Matt Toomua, and winger Rob Horne for Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Phipps and Ashley-Cooper would be a psychoanalyst’s pride and joy.
Phipps can be the best player on the park one minute, and by far the worst in a nano-second. Against Ireland he swooped on a loose ball to outstrip the defence from 40 metres out to score, and he finished off the Wallabies’ best move all game with a double, because he read the play in advance.
But the same bloke can deliver a wayward pass three metres behind a support, and repeat the dose three or four times in a game, putting his teammates under enormous defensive strain.
Genia doesn’t do that.
Ashley-Cooper had possession six times against Ireland – he died with the ball five times, and kicked out on the full with the other.
He will not pass the ball, although I hasten to add he did pass once all season to send Israel Folau over for a spectacular try. But week in, week out, he has super glue on his fingers, and won’t let the ball go for love nor money.
Rob Horne doesn’t make those elementary mistakes.
Foley’s saving grace has been his exceptional goal-kicking, but he missed two regulation conversions that would have given the Wallabies a 27-26 win over Ireland.
Quade Cooper has more x-factor than Foley, who is just as honest as the day is long. But that doesn’t necessarily set up a victory against good sides. Cooper makes things happen, so too Beale – they must be cut loose in tandem to play the game Cheika wants to play, involving Folau more often.
Toomua can’t do that. Sure his defence is fairly solid, even though he too missed far too many first-time tackles against Ireland.
And like his Brumby halfback mate Nic White, Toomua kicks when he’s boxed in. Not only is he a poor kicker, but he gifts the opposition immediate possession.
So bring on England at the home of rugby.
What better place to end Michael Cheika’s first Wallaby tour, so he can settle down to coach the Waratahs to a second Super title, then the three-Test Rugby Championship, before he gets ready for that other tournament that comes around every four years.
JeffR
Guest
I agree, he has stepped up and played well.
Conzaroo
Guest
He was referencing earlier in the comment thread when he took the bait, I thought it was funny tbh...
Jibba Jabba
Guest
Thereby confirming NZ is not just about rugby........but did you have to put Dave Dobbin in there?
Tom Watson
Guest
'I see red' when tryhard AB supporters carry on like 'royals' just because they are currently enjoying a 'slice of heaven'! I hope next year you get to 'take the weather with you' otherwise you will be 'counting the beat's as you spend six months in a leaky boat' just as we wallaby fans do every year! We all like trying to beat the ABs (although 'I hope I never' have to witness another cheat like Richie 'dont dream it's over' McCaw) and when we finally do it will be as sweet as the 'April sun in cuba'!
Chalky
Guest
Ignore Pita, mate. He's being silly and is quite ludicrously wrong. All NZers i know - myself included - prize the Bledisloe over even the Rugby Championship! All Blacks/Wallabies are the ultimate. They are the matches that bring out the best of both sides and are deeply cherished...and Aus are quickly closing the gap!
44bottles
Roar Guru
Re: Scrum Tired players and the lower quality bench players lead to the weaker scrum.
44bottles
Roar Guru
Good luck finding a playmaker who won't have his skill level reduced by putting on enough weight to be bigger than Ma'a Nonu. And in a season no less!
Squirrel
Guest
Let's face it only Hooper , Slipper and Faainga get across the gain line. That means 5 passengers in the pack . Wtf
44bottles
Roar Guru
Doesn't commenting noting that it was bait, still count as taking the bait? I think it does, but maybe not everyone agrees.
44bottles
Roar Guru
Yeh, you got to be careful with that tactic. Once the opposition catches on it's easy to counter the 'non-compete' as it is called. It's good for a couple of suprises though, similar to those short lineout throws. Once a game, yes, but it gets more risky the more you do it.
44bottles
Roar Guru
It's a shame that. Happens everywhere and it's where all stereotypes come from. The bad eggs in each group (race, age, gender, nationality, basically any sort of group) do something bad, people start looking for other people doing this and ignore the ones who aren't.
JimmyB
Guest
Why so?
Short-Blind
Guest
FOS STFU, I'm a Reds fan and die hard QLDer. But your constant whine about the NSW mafia, Beale and conspiracies against McKenzie etc are so bloody boring. As a neuroscientist I advise you to choose positive neural circuits and reframe your narrative otherwise you will continue to be the sad old Redsman that hits up this site every day. How about you forget about the Wallaby politics and start focusing on the great potential that is the Reds team in 2015. I'm really apologetic about getting personal but your constant theme finally got under my skin.
Darwin Rugby
Guest
It doesn't matter if Toomua misses a couple of first up tackles because he hits the attackers deep behind the gain line and disrupts their attack. That's the system the WBs are playing. Mostly the tackles stick. Sometimes they really hurt. Beale definitely can't do that. Great to see a Tah barracker like DL is finally admitting that Phipps' passing is often wayward and Foley is just a provincial player. Jones' game might be remembered for his being held up twice in choke tackles. Silly errors. Didn't he watch the Ireland game in the last RWC? Where was the coaching staff? Anyway, he was actually good in the lineout, general play and mauls. His scrummaging was poor. Why can't our breakaways keep their shoulders pressed against the prop's arse? I don't think he was meerkating like our captain, he was just sliding up. No use up there. Don't they practise scrums???
Magic Sponge
Guest
Come on Coombesy who do you want to coach and do you really believe Genia is back to his best and Cooper has shown his class to get Oz over the line. I hope Genia / Cooper and Toomua are allowed to show their game against England but the qld pair have not fired.
Magic Sponge
Guest
Hooper is in the top 3 world 7s , he had an awesome game and got stuck in defence. This Hooper attack is unwarranted, though I believe he is not the greatest captain but he is learning and giving it his best. Why do we attack our best players.
Magic Sponge
Guest
We will beat England and that will be a successful tour
Brett McKay
Expert
No, I really don't think he was...
Peter Evans brit47 on superbru
Guest
Just show up. England will self destruct. Good points made on how to improve Wallabies. Enjoyed the way they play and can only get even better. England on the other hand seem to be clueless. We play 10 man rugby against Bok and luckily they couldn't think of anything better to do. We didn't even try to take ball away from forwards and fringes of ruck.Those kind of games can go either way. Then we play Samoa with arguably one of the best backlines out there and we start playing an expansive game. And with weak backs.
GTarry Edwards
Guest
I'll agree with only 2 revelations of this column: 1 yes, replace AAC with somebody that passes the ball and carries it correctly when against the sideline and, 2 replace Jones with Hodgson. Now allow me to be most complimentary to the author in regards to the remainder of the article well, most of it: disposable and would serve better impaled on a nail on the outhouse door.